According to Sherpa (Bhote) historical tradition, the name Taplejung comes from a Sherpa ruler known as King 'Taple' and the word 'Dzong', meaning fortress or stronghold, which gradually transformed through linguistic change into the present name. Sherpa oral tradition holds that King Taple's fortress stood at the site of the present-day military barracks, where remains believed to be Buddhist (prayer beads and a chorten) were reportedly found when the barracks were established in 2024 B.S. (1967 A.D.). The same oral tradition recounts that during Prithvi Narayan Shah's Gorkha expansion, around 300 Gorkha soldiers launched a surprise attack on approximately 2,000 Tibetan and eastern Sikkimese troops during the Futuk festival, killing more than 1,300, after which surviving groups fled toward Taplejung and Kimathangka and some surrendered or assimilated. After the unification of Nepal, Limbus were given kipat rights, and in the 19th century the area of Taplejung and its surrounds was called 'pallo Kirat' Limbuwan, meaning 'far region'. Taplejung then became part of the large Dhankuta District, and in 1962, when the traditional 32 districts were divided into 75, the three thums (counties) of Dhankuta separately established the new district named Taplejung.
Researched by the ChillNepal team from published sources. Spot something out of date? Tell us from the place's page.
